Brad Underhill

Background

About Brad Underhill

I am most interested in history, community involvement, social justice, culture and politics. I have been a small business owner for more than thirty years, and recently completed a PhD. I am currently employed as a Lecturer/Tutor and Research Assistant at Deakin University. I am currently working on two research projects: for the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV) and Cancer Council Victoria(CCV). The RHSV project is an investigation of the WWII Reserved Occupations list, on the impact on individuals who were forced to remain at home due to the industry they worked in and how they were treated in the community at the time and later when preferential employment (and financial support) was given to those who served in the military forces. The CCV project is an ARC Linkage and is investigating the history of anti-cancer campaigns to understand the nexus between science, advocacy, policy and behavioural change. I am working with Dr Carolyn Holbrook on the relationship between non-government cancer prevention strategies and official public health promotion policy in Australia. I am a joint editor of an upcoming a Special Issue of the Australian Historical Studies journal on PNG-Australian relations. My thesis (The New Deal on the Ground in Papua New Guinea) investigates the post-war development of PNG. It has recently been awarded the 2022 Hank Nelson Memorial award- awarded for the best thesis on PNG over a two year period. I was recognised for my leadership, academic and community service as the winner of the 2016 Bowater Trust Medal- Deakin Business School's foremost graduate prize. In 2017 I was awarded First Class Honours (96%) in History focused on PNG and Colonial development. This thesis was awarded the 2017 Vice-Chancellors prize. I volunteer with Licola Wilderness Village as a youth mentor and Board member. In 2016 I established two new programs to extend the benefits disadvantaged children receive when attending Lions sponsored camps at Licola; a book donation program (in conjunction with the charity 123Read2Me) which provides every child with at least one book and a post-camp mentoring program. I hold the position of Secretary for both the Vermont Lions club and the 2017 Centennial Convention. I am married with two adult girls. I enjoy reading, travel, bike riding, sport and have personally completed a number of marathons.